Congratulations to the recipients of the Spring 2024 Ernest N. Cory Undergraduate Scholarship! Seth Caban (Gruner Lab), Kyree Day (Hamby Lab), Nicole Rieger-Erwin (Burghardt Lab), Felicia Shechtman (Lamp Lab), Michail Siokis (St. Leger Lab) and Fiona Torok (Lamp Lab) have all made extraordinary efforts in entomology.
Seth Caban
I am a junior undergraduate working in Dr. Daniel Gruner’s lab in the Department of Entomology. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I have always been interested in animals and biodiversity. I have been part of the Gruner lab for three semesters, working on various projects focused on invasive species and their impacts on local ecosystems.
Kyree Day
I am a junior majoring in psychology on the pre-medical track. I am currently an undergraduate lab technician within the Hamby Lab, which focuses on integrated pest management. Within my position, I perform various tasks ranging from taking care of Coleomegilla maculata to analyzing sweep net samples. I plan to use this research experience toward my goal of becoming a psychiatrist.
Nicole Rieger-Erwin
I am a rising senior majoring in biological sciences with a specialization of ecology and evolution. I am originally from Oceanside, California, but I have lived in several different states across the country. My interest in biology stems from watching nature documentaries and spending time outdoors as a kid. My dad would often take my sister and me out for hikes and we would look at all the different types of plants and habitats that we could find. I recently transitioned out of the military to pursue my bachelor’s degree, and my future plans include graduating with honors from UMD and going on to commission as an officer in the Navy to finish out my career. I’ve been married for two years and we have three cats who constantly test our nerves, but we love them anyway.
As a research assistant working with Brendan Randall in Dr. Burghardt’s lab, I have helped with research trying to determine how rhizobia diversity affects soybean resistance to drought and herbivory. This summer, we ran a greenhouse experiment where we grew soybeans with different levels of rhizobia diversity to see how they responded to having a herbivore placed on them and how they responded to drought conditions. As climate change continues to affect weather patterns, it is important to figure out ways to improve crop production in stressful conditions. My personal interest is in how rhizobia diversity affects trichome counts on soybean leaves. These trichomes are able to make a micro canopy, which can affect drought tolerance and transpiration rates. As part of the Entomology Honors Program, I plan to research this relationship further so that I can complete my honors thesis.
Felicia Shechtman
Felicia is a senior studying environmental science and policy with a concentration in biodiversity and conservation biology and they are minoring in entomology. Felicia started their work in the Lamp Lab on Helen Craig’s Sustainability Grant, where they collected, identified and pinned various Maryland insects. Through the Entomology Honors Program, Felicia is continuing to work in the Lamp Lab with an undergraduate honors thesis about agricultural insect diversity. Felicia is also an active member of the Beekeeping Club and the Bug Club.
Michail Siokis
Michail is a senior studying neuroscience (major) and statistics (minor) on a premed path who has been working as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. St. Leger’s lab since September 2022. Throughout the last year, he has studied and looked after several organisms in the lab, including hornworms, silkworms, Metarhizium strains, and Drosophila fruitflies. Aside from his improvement in scientific and research skills, he says he has had the fortune to interact with great mentors and peers in the St. Leger lab.
Fiona Torok
Although Fiona Torok is a graphic design major, she has a STEM background and aims to bring the world of science to a broader audience through illustration and design. Since June 2023, she has worked with the Lamp Lab to create a series of posters and displays about sustainability and ecosystem services. Fiona has been delighted to help highlight Lamp Lab’s research and insights through the power of elegant and intentional design. She hopes this project inspires more STEM departments to team up with creatives to bring visibility to their work in the broader community.
